Canada followed the United States and the European Union (EU) on Wednesday by announcing more sanctions on Russian individuals and entities, including VTB Bank, Russia's second-biggest bank. In addition to VTB, Canada targeted Bank of Moscow and the Russian Agricultural Bank. The United States imposed sanctions on all three banks last week to punish Russia for its actions in Ukraine. Another bank targeted by Canada is the Russian National Commercial Bank, the assets of which were frozen by the EU last week. In total, Canada announced sanctions and travel bans against 22 Russian and Ukrainian groups and economic entities and 19 Russian and Ukrainian individuals. "These sanctions, imposed in close coordination with partners in the United States and Europe, will further increase pressure on those responsible for the crisis in Ukraine," Prime Minister Steven Harper said in a statement. "We stand ready to take further actions if the Putin regime's military aggression continues," Harper wrote, referring to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
